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Student Health

It’s the end of the semester– chances are you’ve adapted pretty well to your school eating routines by now – whether it’s eating with friends or grabbing a bite on the way to the next class or meeting. But wouldn’t you know it, the holidays are just around the corner and everything is about to change again. The holidays can be a wonderful time of year, but they are usually associated with a lot of food and eating: for some this can be challenging. Consider using some of the following tips to stay well and focused during this time.

Set reasonable goals. This usually isn’t the time of year to work on any type of weight loss goals, so aim instead to maintain your weight.

Avoid skipping meals. Skipping meals may sound like a good idea when there is a big holiday meal to look forward to, but chances are if you skip meals you will be really hungry when its meal time and will likely overeat. About an hour before you head out, try to eat a light, balanced snack, such as a piece of fruit with some yogurt or peanut butter, a granola bar, half of a sandwich, or some soup.

Choose your foods wisely: There will be plenty of options, but if you’re trying to choose more nutritious options, opt for the fresh vegetables and fruit, lean protein, and seafood. This will allow room for a holiday dessert!

Mindful Eating: If you are concerned about overeating, remember to eat slowly and savor these special holiday foods – some of which you only get to eat once a year. Eating slowly will allow you to appreciate these foods and recognize when you have had enough. Some useful tips to help you eat more slowly are to have a conversation with a friend or family member, take smaller portions, and consciously sip your drink throughout. (These are great tips year-round!)

Eat a balanced meal: Aim for a good source of protein, such as turkey, chicken, fish or tofu, and balance this with a healthy starch, such as whole grain bread, sweet potatoes or brown rice and lots of veggies. The protein slows digestion to help you feel satisfied faster and longer.

Chill out: Try not to get stressed out by family and friends you haven’t seen in a while. Try to manage your stress with activities other than eating – take a walk, visit a friend, or put on some music.

Be active: You may find being home for holidays allows you more time to move – try to be active most mornings before the day gets too crazy. A brisk walk or stroll will help with digestion, stress relief, and fitness. Remember, if you wish to continue exercising regularly, it will need to fit into your routine at school.

Enjoy: remember being home for the holidays usually means no homework and time to rest! Focus on your friends and family and try to not over-think your food. However, don’t overdo just because you have more time.

The election results and the end of the most divisive campaign season in recent history has had an impact on our campus. Reactions range from hurt and anger to confusion about why some are affected so negatively. Counseling and Psychological Services advocates for a campus climate that is supportive of all students’ mental health and this election’s focus on traditionally marginalized groups has exacerbated their lived experiences of racism, sexism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and other forms of oppression. Any form of oppression negatively impacts mental health and deters academic success.

If you are not part of an oppressed group or are confused about others’ reactions, we invite you to recognize that others’ lived experiences are different from yours. Not living with oppression is a privilege and can affect our ability to have empathy for others in situations we have not personally experienced. Listen with understanding and curiosity to others in pain without a need to challenge or be right. If we are going to move forward together we must have compassion for others and be willing to make space for perspectives different from our own.

Caffeine is a drug, which has been used and enjoyed for centuries. Many people use caffeine on a daily basis, whether it’s from coffee, tea, soda, or energy drinks to put a little pep in their step and stay awake during less-than-interesting lectures. Keep reading to learn a little more about caffeine, its pros and cons, and how to make healthy choices when you need that extra boost.

Caffeine comes from a variety of sources, including coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, and even chocolate. The amount of caffeine in these foods and beverages varies greatly:

8 oz. drip coffee: 90-200 mg

1 espresso shot: 80-150 mg

8 oz. black tea: 30-80 mg

8 oz. green tea: 25-60 mg

1 can of Cola: 35 mg

Energy drinks: 80-350 mg

1 bar dark chocolate: 15-30 mg

The recommendation is to keep caffeine consumption less than 300 mg per day. Curious how much caffeine you consume in a day? Check out this website!

Did you know caffeine doesn’t give you energy?
Caffeine actually blocks a receptor in your brain that makes you feel tired. In other words, caffeine just makes you feel less sleepy.

Don’t let these negative effects scare you! Moderate amounts of caffeine can have positive health effects as well, including increased focus/concentration, and, if you drink coffee or green tea, antioxidants. Recent research has shown these positive effects of caffeine are seen around 100 mg, a relatively small amount. With caffeine, more is not better.

A common source of caffeine, especially for college students, is energy drinks. Energy drinks usually have excessive amounts of caffeine, as well as a lot of sugar or artificial sweeteners. If you enjoy energy drinks, make them a once-in-a-while treat.

Remember, excessive caffeine is not a substitute for a balanced diet, adequate sleep, exercise, and mental health. Keep this in mind during midterm weeks for a happier, healthier, caffeinated-in-moderation, you!

As a dietitian I am often asked questions about soy foods acting like estrogen in the body, are they safe? Do they contribute to breast cancer? I will admit over the years the information has been varied, but for the past several years researchers have found more and more information confirming that eating soy in moderation even as a breast cancer survivor is not a problem.

Since it is breast cancer awareness month I decided to do some additional research and explain for you in more detail.

First of all let’s think about where you might find soy in the diet, the following is a list of dietary sources:

edamame (raw soy beans),

soy milk, soy cheeses, soy yogurts

tofu (which is made from the bean curd)

tempeh (fermented soy)

miso (a Japanese flavoring made from fermented soybeans)

vegetarian foods like veggies burgers

Phytoestrogens (estrogen hormone-like chemicals found in plants) known as isoflavones are the concerning component of soy, when it comes to breast cancer risk. It is important to know that although these compounds do act like estrogen, they are far less potent than human estrogen.

Large studies of healthy women who reported details about their diet and were followed for many years, have shown no association between moderate soy intake and breast cancer rates. Studies in Asian women have found a lower risk of breast cancer rates with higher soy consumption (4 or more servings per day), whereas studies in the U.S. have not found any association between how much soy a woman consumes and her risk of breast cancer. Other things to consider of course are lifelong dietary and lifestyle patterns not noted in these studies.

What about soy intake for breast cancer surviviors? There are studies that show that small amounts of soy are safe and may be protective for surviors. However the best advice is to discuss the pros and cons with your health care provider until more conslusive data is available.

If you are a guy and worried about developing “moobs” if you eat soy, stop. There is little research to suggest that this is an issue, except for an unusual case where a 60 year old male was drinking 3 quarts of soy milk per day—in case you are wondeirng that’s 12 cups- don’t do that! Reasonable amounts- 3-4 servigns per day are safe.

When it comes to taking supplements research is finding mixed results, basically the jury is out and the recommendation is to “avoid concentrated sources of soy such as soy-containing pills or powders, or supplements containing high amounts of isoflavones.” (American Cancer Society).

When making the decision to consume soy or not, remember that tofu and other soy foods have considerable health benefits and are linked to lower rates of heart disease. Because they are excellent sources of protein, soy foods may replace other less healthy foods in the diet and therefore help lower cholesterol. Also soy is an excellent good quality protein alternative for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.

Dean Sue Wasiolek, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students and

Dear Duke Parents,

Although most of you aren’t as old as I am, my hope is that you might remember or be familiar with John Denver, a songwriter and performer who tragically died in a plane crash in 1997. I used to listen to John Denver’s songs all the time and I recently came across a video of him reciting a poem entitled, “Ambulance Down in the Valley.” My attention went to one particular verse:

Better guide well the young than reclaim them when old,
For the voice of true wisdom is calling.
To rescue the fallen is good, but ’tis best
To prevent other people from falling….

Better put a strong fence ’round the top of the cliff
Than an ambulance down in the valley.

Many of us put a very high value on our health and try, as best we can, to engage in “clean living.” We do this for a number of reasons: we believe it allows us to enjoy a higher quality of life, to feel more energized and perform better in our work. So, we do what we can to prevent illness and reduce stress. In other words, we put up a “strong fence,” trying to avoid relying on “an ambulance down in the valley.” This is what we hope to encourage our students to do as well.

As we prepare to open the new Student Health and Wellness Building at Duke in January 2017, our hope is that we can begin in a more integrative and holistic way to help our students understand that they must learn how to be healthy because they need to be healthy to learn; they, too, need to think about their health and wellness with prevention in mind.

For the first time in Duke’s history, all the agencies on campus that support the health and wellness of our students will be co-located in the same building in the heart of West Campus. These include: Student Health (including nutrition), Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), DukeReach (provides student outreach and support when concerning behavior is identified), and Student Wellness. It is so very exciting to imagine that our students will soon have the opportunity to truly take care of themselves in a preventative as well as a responsive way. Grounded in choices, values and identity and reinforced by the notion of self-care, our framework for delivering services and programs is designed around six dimensions of wellness. For more information, please see: https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/duwell/what-wellness.

More information about the new Student Health and Wellness Center will be made available to your students as we approach the Spring semester.

One last, but very important note. On September 1, we were thrilled to welcome Dr. Danielle Oakley to Duke as our new Director of Counseling and Psychological Services. In just a short six weeks, Dr. Oakley has brought her expertise in college mental health and her enormous energy in support of Duke students. I hope you enjoy learning more about her in this newsletter.

Wishing your students good health and wellness. Go Duke!

Sue Wasiolek
Dean of Students
Associate Vice President for Student Affairs

It is a pleasure to meet you! I am the new director for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), a unit on campus that supports your student on a path toward academic success. I am excited to be here given the commitment Duke has made to student wellness. Many institutions across the country are working to address mental health issues based on the fact that mental health is the number one factor in lowering retention and is a better predictor of college grade point average than ACT or SAT scores. The 97% four-year retention rate to graduation at Duke demonstrates that retention is not a significant issue on this campus; highlighting that Duke’s focus is supporting mental health services because student wellness is valued.

In January 2017, CAPS will be co-located with all of our health and wellness units, which will enhance the delivery of mental health, physical health, and wellness services in a collaborative model. My vision for the comprehensive delivery of mental health services is based on a “No wrong door” policy, believing that all faculty, staff, students, and families at Duke have the opportunity to impact the development of student lifelong wellness habits and change the trajectory of students’ lives. We will work in partnership to move beyond the walls of CAPS to engage the entire campus community in how to recognize, respond, and refer students in distress to appropriate resources and engage in strategic learning initiatives on campus that promote wellness. From a social justice perspective we will involve the community in conversations about racism and prejudice, climate issues that negatively impact mental health, and factors that deter academic success.

We hope that you will partner with us to encourage your student to seek out our services when needed. Each year CAPS serves a significant portion of the student body for issues such as anxiety/stress, depression, and relationship concerns.

We all know what mindless eating is because we’ve all done it. You sit in front of the TV; computer (IPad, phone etc. etc.) with your meal or snack and 10 minutes later, o.k. maybe 5, the plate, bag, box is empty. Where did it go? Do you remember tasting any of it? Did you check in along the way to see if you were full or satisfied? Will you still want to eat more; probably – because that’s just what we do.

When you eat mindlessly you are tuned into everything but the food in front of you. Studies suggest that you might not even know how hungry you are or how full you get while eating in this way. You can imagine how this might lead to overeating and in some cases not eating enough.

Happily there is a solution. The opposite of mindless eating is mindful eating. Tuning in, paying attention, creating a sense of awareness without judgment, it is all about being mindful.

When you eat mindfully you are aware of your surroundings, your level of hunger, your food; how it smells and sounds, how it tastes, how visually appealing it is, and your emotions, all while remaining in a judgment free zone.

You become an observer, giving your full attention to the experience of eating, using all of your senses.

With your eyes you pay attention to the colors, shapes and general appearance of your food. With your nose you smell your food and with your ears you notice the sounds made while you eat and chew. You notice the texture and the temperature of the food and how those things change as you bite, chew and swallow.

Tuning in to hunger and fullness levels are important as well. What does hungry, half full, over full feel like to you? Try to notice these feelings without being judgmental.

Something else to be aware of is your pace of eating. When you eat fast you may miss your fullness cues. Slow down and taste your food it will help you decide how much is enough and believe it or not you will actually be able to decide whether you like what you are eating enough to continue eating it.

Old habits die hard, don’t try and make any drastic changes in your eating; after all making changes that stick takes time and practice. Start small and build from there. Here are a few simple tips to get you started:
• Practice mindful eating when you are not in a rush
• Pay attention to the bite in your mouth (not the next bite of food on your fork)
• Put your fork down between bites, and put your hands in your lap
• Try and pick out all of the flavors in a single bite of food (vanilla, cinnamon, salt etc.)
• Pause between bites of food
• Try and make your first three bites of food last a few minutes it may help set up a slower pace of eating
• Check in with your hunger levels throughout the meal it is ok to stop eating with some food still on your plate if you have had enough or get a little more if you are still hungry.

If you have any questions, comments, or wish to meet with a campus dietitian, please contact us 919-681-9355.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could offer you some secret eating tips to help boost your memory? Well we don’t have any magic formulas but we do have some good advice.

Think Healthy Fats
There is strong evidence that the same anti-inflammatory properties that help protect your heart can improve memory. These fats include fatty fish like salmon and tuna, nuts/seeds, avocado, olive oil and flax.

Where to find them on campus*:

Try the guacamole at The Taco Stand at Chef’s Kitchen or the avocado salad at Sprouts

Add avocado or humus to sandwiches and salads (ABP and other cafes where available)

Snack on nuts (available in the Lobby Shop, Quenchers and The East Campus Store), sprinkle sunflower seeds on your salad at salad bars

Pick up some individual containers of peanut butter and some fruit for a healthy energizing snack

Try a grab and go hummus snack plate which can be found at many cafes on campus.

Devour Dark Fruits and Veggies
Fruits like blueberries, strawberries and dark green veggies like spinach, broccoli and collards are full of phytonutrients with memory boosting properties.

Where to Find On Campus*:

Fruit cups are widely available at grab and go locations , also check out the fruit bar at Quenchers

Look for spinach and other dark greens such as kale at locations like ABP and Sprout and Nasher

Add broccoli to your stir fry.

Contemplate Whole Grain Goodness
Whole grains like oatmeal and quinoa, brown rice etc. are an integral part of an anti-inflammatory diet like the Mediterranean Diet. This type of eating style promotes increased blood flow to the brain and has been linked to improved memory.

Where to Find on Campus*:

Look for whole grain salads at salad bars around campus and as side dishes in many cafes

Choose whole grain breads for sandwiches and create a satisfying breakfast with some oatmeal (Marketplace, Café Edens, Div Café, ABP, and The Skillet just to name a few)

Remember we don’t eat nutrients in isolation for best results include these foods as part of a healthy eating pattern and remember to eat regularly throughout the day and stay hydrated.
Good luck and have a memorable semester!

Questions about healthy eating on campus? Call 919-681-9355 to set up an appointment with a nutritionist

*The cafes listed are only a sample of where you may find these foods on campus, check out individual café menus for more options.

Welcome to Duke!
Whether you are a first year student away from home for the first time, or returning as an upperclassman and ready to explore your dining options on West, you might want some tips about how to eat well on campus. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Think of healthy eating as having three components, timing, balance and mindfulness.

Timing. Remember to eat regularly throughout the day; you can’t expect to get through your busy days if you don’t have energy (and food is energy!). A common mistake many students make is skipping meals or going too many hours without eating. If you have the First Year Board plan don’t forget to eat a small meal or snack to keep you going between meals. Think you are too busy to stop and eat? There are many options for grab and go meals and snacks on West campus or Trinity Café on East. If you have time for a sit down meal midday that’s even better. Check out your options here.

Balance. Make sure to include some lean protein, veggies and/or fruit and whole grains at most meals. Balancing Your Plate will keep you on the right track to healthy eating, sustained energy and weight management.

Mindfulness. Above all remember to eat when you are hungry and stop when you are comfortably full. Eating too little or too much will keep you thinking about food instead of focused on all the other things you want to do at Duke. Eat what you like, get enough of it and get on with your day!